Wawa Dam: A Not-So Secret Tourist Spot

By Bea Ocampo

Yesterday, our teacher sir Rick took us to visit Wawa Dam in Montalban. It was an hour’s ride from Ateneo and we were all pretty sleepy. I didn’t really know what to expect and yet I was surprised with what I saw.

Who would have thought that such an interesting place existed so near the Metro Manila area? I certainly didn’t. When I think of nearby tourist spots with historical significance, I usually think of Intramuros and that’s about it. You could imagine my surprise when we arrived at the site. Apparently, Wawa dam is located in between two mountains— the very two mountains that Bernardo Carpio of folklore fame was said to have been trapped in between. Most people nowadays know Bernardo Carpio from Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere where Rizal used Bernardo Carpio’s chained situation as an allusion to the Philippine’s situation under Spanish rule.

Seeing how the mountains are so closed together and add that to the huge crater on a rock that looks a lot like giant’s footprint, it’s easy to imagine a 100 foot or so Bernardo Carpio pushing them apart.

That isn’t the only cool historical thing about Wawa Dam, however. It gets even better. Apparently, up in the mountain is the cave where Andres Bonifacio and the Katipuneros had their famous blood compact. Getting up there is tricky though. We had to hike up a bit and were charged a surprisingly expensive amount just to use a raft to get across the dam. It was still worth it though knowing we were in a place with so much history. The cave was also used by the Japanese in World War II so before we even entered the cave we were asked to pray for the souls of those who may have died there.

Other pretty neat things to see in Wawa Dam are the bat cave, the structures built in the Spanish times, and the actual dam itself. According to our tourist guide Michael, there used to be a lot of weapons left there from the previous wars but people would steal them. It’s such a pity that they weren’t able to protect them. It would have definitely added to the whole historical feel of the place.

That doesn’t stop the tourists from coming though. Michael mentioned that many people tend to come in the summer to escape the heat. They go swimming in the river and row around in the bamboo rafts. They even have Red Cross assistance and life guards on duty come summer time. There are also huts for rent and Baranggay officials who accept guests in their homes even during regular seasons.

All in all, Wawa dam is a pretty exciting place whether you’re there to chill in a nipa hut under the falls with an ice cold beer in hand, hunting for giants, or paying homage to the Katipunan in their blood compact site. There is much fun to be had in the place.

It has so much potential to be a truly wonderful tourist destination if only it is taken better care of. If only they could somehow eradicate the trash and purify the water, Wawa Dam would be a topnotch historical site. Small efforts are being made though. When we were there, they just repainted the railings. Although flimsy, bridges to get from one mountain to another were also constructed. There are also plans of installing a cable car in the area but we’ll just have to wait and see; and hope that they take care of such a gem.

Adventure / The Contrast

Adventure!

Because last Tuesday was filled with precisely this. 

Ever since I stepped into college, I’ve always silently wished to experience a field trip—and not just any kind. I wanted a real fun one like the ones I had during my elementary and high school days, none of those trips that only remind you of your requirement to be there. Truly excruciating, I say. 

Anyway, Last Tuesday’s destination was Wawa Dam in Montalban. I’ve never heard of this place until Sir Rick mentioned it in class. Then and there, I made up my mind that I was going to be part of this trip. I constantly have this lust for discovering new places and I was certain this can’t be missed. Now after finally experiencing this place, I must say it was certainly, a damn good discovery. 

This was the first beauty I saw. Legend has it that this pair of mountains was the one that trapped mythological hero Bernardo Carpio. He struggled but was eventually successful in breaking away from these mountains, hence the gap.

Unfortuntely, it was not only beauty that greeted us upon our arrival. There was an underdeveloped mess contrasting the natural beauty of the place. Such an insult to the rich history that circumvents it, really. I guess this is inevitable when all we’ve got is Power without the necessary vision, without intended direction. The price to pay is a hefty slab of Contrasts. 

Believe it or not, THIS is the tourism office. If I remember correctly, Sir Rick mentioned that this is the only place in town that did not have electricity. The reason? The management could not pay for the electric bills.

A heated path and a lengthy distance of many different sari-sari stores. We had to go through this before getting to the dam. 

I am completely aware that this was supposed to be a fun narration of my adventure. I apologize for the necessary ranting. Before getting back to that, however, let me present more photos that would depict the Contrast better.

Such beauty, isn’t it? Legend has it that these marbles hold the footsteps of the giant Bernardo Carpio. 

Now take a look at this.

Presenting… right beside our great mythological hero’s footsteps, the local’s colorful laundry!

Further along the path is this: 

A child striving to get by. Just a thought: What was it that our heroes died for again? 

The Light and the Dark. 

On the same path: A tourist leisurely walking towards an attraction and a schoolboy passing by, rushing to school. 

I trust that through these I was successful in presenting the Contrast. 

Now going back to the fun part… the adventure!

Though slighted with imperfections, the place remains a must-see. The path was almost as good as the destination itself. 

The group on a beautiful situation admiring a beautiful scenery. 

We passed through this tunnel-like path—a contribution of the Japanese, I believe.

More great sceneries. 

A thrilling cross on the bridge on a breathtaking scene. 

Another tunnel. At the end is a glimpse of the Japanese watchtower.

But of course. Beside the historical watchtower is yet another sari-sari store! 

And finally….

The River

And Wawa Dam. 

The dam was constructed in 1909 by the Americans. It was originally the main source of water in Manila. A couple of decades after, it was forgotten, following the construction of the Angat La Mesa Dam. 

What used to be a vital source of life is now a mere tourist spot, getting more and more degraded by the second by the very people who prospered because of it. And by this, I mean all of us. You and me. Them. He, she. 

As we were informed, there are plans to beautify the area. While that might be great, I think what is more important is the conservation of the area mainly for two great reasons. First, the area holds dear history—in truth, too much of it that once lost, we lose a part of our identity as well. Second, this area can, once again, be a provider of fresh water. The more of it that is wasted, the more we will regret in the future.

—Anne Malicdem

The Wawa Dam by Chris DeChavez

Th Future of Philippine Football

Wherever you may be coming from, whether you call it football or soccer—it doesn’t matter. Whichever angle you look at, football is simply one thing: the most popular sport in the world. All across the globe, you will find billions who would wholeheartedly attest that the football experience is one that is absolutely and unquestionably priceless. The truth in this can be seen in many different situations.

From the eyes of a man following a football match—a dreary distance away from the field, with paint all over his face, voice croaking as he sings, as loudly as he can, hymns in unison with strangers who are suddenly the best of his buddies.

The truthfulness a young boy pours, as day and night he strives to prove himself to his very first football as he says, “From this day on, you will have the best of my abilities, the entirety of my passion,” never allowing a single doubt to spring from that thought ever since.

The silent gloriousness a football player feels the first time he steps foot on the field to the last one, taking with him the support from everyone in the stadium as he leaves—that energy, certain it will always be a part of him.

Football is a sport bound to be loved with unimaginable depths. Unfortunately, this love is not as evident here in the Philippines as it is in other parts of the world—at least, not yet. Unlike other sports such as basketball, volleyball, and badminton, football is not well-recognized in the country. However, with all the current hype going on about the Azkals team, we can expect a revamping of the football scene here in the Philippines.

During the Kia Rio Cup pre-press conference held on last Friday, January 20, I was able to catch Coach Michael Weiss of the Azkals team for a brief interview.

“Where do you see Philippine Football in 10-15 years?”

Coach Weiss made it a point that currently our national team is still in the developing stage. To become better, the team needs to invest in more time to practice together. In terms of the long run, however, what is necessary is to develop our youth teams. We should take advantage of the current enthusiasm of the youth towards football, Weiss says. He then gives emphasis on the importance of teaching the youth well.

If this would be followed, according to Weiss, then in 10-15 years, the Philippine team “will be very strong.” He adds that “They [Filipinos] have natural ability. They are very quick and very agile.” 

From this, we can expect to witness an improvement in our national team as the years progress. Take note: our support is much needed!

—Anne Malicdem

Photos borrowed from (in order)

[http://www.realclearsports.com/blognetwork/rcs_sidelines/College%20football%20fans%20Michigan.jpg]

[http://t2.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/32/57/59/400_F_32575964_HItXhWNFbkHoa6dFTvabfOYo6LRCvnX3.jpg]

[http://www.kickette.com/images/uploads/novv26ces.jpg]

Video still credits to Meg Rementina

Epic Class Time

By Bea Ocampo

Yesterday, we had a very interesting class for Intro to Journalism. Not only did we have a renowned chef for a guest speaker who let us try a new concoction, we also had a sandwich making competition!

And oh what a competition it was indeed!

First up was the Fancilog— pesto, sundried tomatoes, peanuts, longganiza and egg open faced on baguette. The creativity and unique mix of the Fancilog’s flavors and texture earned its creators the victory of actually winning the competition. Bravo!

Eat again?- Yes

Recommend to others?- Yes

The second sandwich was our group’s sandwich. Named Fili(pino) Cheese Steak as a pun on the Philly Cheese Steak. Unfortunately, it had no actual steak so the name was sort of a let down for those who tried it. It was made of just pandesal, longganiza and melted Holland cheese. Simple, classic, and yummy.

Eat again?- Yes

Recommend to others?- Yes

The next sandwich was called The Breakfast Club. It was made of bacon, cheese, lettuce and mashed avocado. It was certainly different. The avocado certainly gave it a twist but the texture of the entire sandwich was a little too on the creamy side because of the avocado and cheese.

Eat again?- Not really

Recommend to others?- Yes, be adventurous!

The fourth sandwich was Coco Loco. It was roast beef, ham, lettuce, and coco jam. I didn’t get to try it but according to my group mates who did try it, it was actually really good and they would eat it again if they had the chance. It was different but it worked. Coco jam actually went well with the roast beef and ham.

Eat again?- Yes

Recommend to others?- Yes

The fifth sandwich was the Red Light District taking it’s name from the red Krispy Kreme light that goes on whenever there’s a fresh batch of donuts :) Much like Offbeat burger, this was had a burger patty, bacon and cheese sandwiched between a Krispy Kreme donuts. The mixture of sweetness from the donut and saltiness from the contents of the sandwich gave the Red Light District its edge.

Eat again?- No (for health reasons)

Recommend to others?- Yes, it’s apparently better than Offbeat

Last but not least was The Buff Dude sandwich which ironically consisted of a whole lot of MEAT sandwiched in between WHEAT bread. It was good though. It had spam, bacon, ham (I think?), peanut butter, mustard and ketchup. It didn’t have any odd foreign ingredients in it. Just a lot of meat which was something I’d go for.

Eat again?- Yes

Recommend to others?- Surely

AND finally, the sandwich that made all our sandwiches pale in comparison was none other than Ched Ed Bugia’s latest concoction. It was Kani mixed with wasabi mayo on tomatoes and lettuce on rye bread topped with Japanese caviar and crispy dilis. The different flavors were amazing. Even put together in one sandwich, each ingredient could be distinctly tasted. It was light yet it filled up the stomach. This sandwich was perfectly made. Each ingredient went so well with each other and nothing was overpowering. It was great.

Eat again?- Certainly

Recommend to others?- Please eat this sandwich and be amazed

What’s IN-E-Sandwich?

By Ines Lorenzo

Fancylog

The facylog sandwich gives you a rather crazy experience because of the variety of tastes. You get the saltiness from the olives and sun dried tomato pesto, the sweetness of tocino, and the egg that balances it out. When you bite into the sandwich, you encounter a crunch from the sprinkled peanuts, which makes it more interesting given that everything else is juicy and rather wet. When you look at the sandwich for the first time, you almost get a Mexican feel because of the colors of the ingredients but in reality it’s a fusion between the Filipino and French/Italian cuisine.

The Breakfast Club

One of the essential things a person would order for breakfast would be bacon. The sandwich is named the Breakfast club, which sounds almost perfect provided that its main ingredient is bacon. But on the contrary, the presence of cheddar cheese on anything is so strong that it overpowers the taste and texture of what supposedly is perfect for breakfast. It’s unusual to have something creamy and rich in the morning yet the pinch of lemon to the mix adds that zesty taste which makes it quite all right.

Red Light District

Almost like walking down a red light district where you find all sorts of surprises and lively moments, this sandwich stands true to its name. Just imagine tender beef patties and crunchy bacon sandwiched by soft Krispy Kreame donuts. You wouldn’t even know where to begin describing what you’re tasting. From the salt of the beef to the sweetness of the doughnut, you get an unexpected sense of balance.  Someone put it this way, “its like a party in my mouth.”

The Sissy Buff Dude Sandwich

Protein overload with a kick of spam and peanut butter, perfect for your typical gym buff. Instead of a triple layer of burger patties, this sandwich offers you bacon, spam and a beef patty making it easier for two slices of wheat bread to contain.  This sandwich gives you your usual condiments: mustard and ketchup making it basic and easy to satisfy one’s palette. In other words, you don’t have to be adventurous in this one.  It’s simple but with a slight twist, you get what you need.

Cocojam Sandwich

Roast beef plus black forest ham isn’t quite unique in the sandwich world. These two have been seen together quite often, not to mention, using German rolls and using lettuce; BUT as we know, a lot of dishes now a days have used both sweet ingredients and salty ones to create a rather yummy taste. In this sandwich, the secret to what seemed to be quite typical is COCOJAM. Who would’ve thought? I for sure didn’t! Its interesting texture and very sweet taste just changes our very common sandwich to something unheard of all of a sudden. This is definitely an acquired taste for many.

Fili(pino) Cheese Steak

Although steak isn’t really in this sandwich, what a typical Filipino would ask for instead of that would be longanisa, thus the title, Filipino Cheese steak. The very simple use of a pandesal instead of loaf bread or other types of bread adds more to the locality of the dish. With melted cheese to top it all off, the simple bundle of longanisa and pandesal satisfies ones craving for something comforting whether its in the morning or as a midnight snack. As some would say, “it’s easy to whip up and it’s your all around meal!”

The Chef’s Kani Sandwich

It’s like a crunchy California maki but instead of fried batter, the dilis makes an oddly perfect replacement. Also, the change from ripe mango to green mango as well as caviar contributes to this unique creation. As you bite into it, you feel somewhat refreshed and light because of the vegetables and seafood mixed together, from the fresh tomatoes, lettuce, kani and dilis. The entire creation of the chef just gives you a different idea of how you can make anything into a sandwich.

Who could go wrong with sandwiches? by Anne Malicdem

Sandwiches. Who could go wrong with sandwiches? Everybody loves sandwiches, and definitely everyone can make one. 

Though we usually have the quick write challenge, last Tuesday’s challenge was all about exhibiting this innate ability of creating sandwiches with utmost creativity and skill. We were free to go crazy with the ingredients, to be as creative as we can, just as long as everything costs under 500 pesos. All six groups, plus the day’s guest Chef Edward Bugia of Pino Restaurant, prepared a variation of sandwiches for everyone to enjoy. The result? One joyous class. 

“Fancylog” was the first sandwich we had. It was an open sandwich set on a French Baguette, its flavors owing to homemade pesto, longganisa and tocino. As a pesto connoisseur, I was a bit disappointed with the one they prepared. It would have been perfect if only they made use of neutral tasting texture additives such as pine nuts or walnuts. It might have added to the texture, but it did not complement the overall taste of the mix. I, however, find the overall idea note-worthy. I like the fact that the group tried to combine pesto with longganisa and tocino, resulting to a taste worth having again. Lastly, I love the fact that they opted to use French Baguettes instead of normal bread. I think this factor, from its taste and its texture, was the one that made the sandwich truly fancy. 

The next sandwich was my very own group’s creation: the “Fili(pino) Cheese Steak.” The whole idea was to make it simple, as most of the best comfort foods. Pandesal, longganisa, some fancy cheese—that was it. It tasted good. The mild sweetness of pandesal, the spice from the longganisa and the indulgent taste of the melted cheese—it makes for a great combination but all in all, the sandwich turned out way too simple. Admittedly, we should have added just a little bit more of flavor and texture. I think some caramelized onions would have done it. Maybe a bit of crunchiness to the pandesal would have helped as well. 

The next one up was intriguing at first. It was a bacon and cheese sandwich with a twist—avocado spread! The idea was unique but in my opinion, the bacon and cheese did not mix well with the avocado. I think it would have been better if they used salmon instead of bacon. 

I would like to think “The Red Light District” as the king of all indulgent sandwiches. Instead of using bread, the group used Krispy Kreme donuts instead. The filling was made up of a beef patty and some strips of bacon. It was definitely the type of food that I will only try once in my life. Not because it isn’t good but because it is excessive in everything. It was excessively good, it looks like it came out of an Epic Meal Time video and excessively indulgent for my life. 

The next sandwich was an exotic one. The group had combined two kinds of cold cuts with coco jam to make a sandwich. I like the flavor of coconuts and the distinct taste of beef but the combination of both just doesn’t do for me. 

What I can say about the Buff Dude Sandwich is that it truly lives up to its name. It’s a sandwich for real men, or rather for real dudes. It was an all-meat sandwich with spam, bacon and beef patty, flavored with ketchup, mustard and surprisingly, peanut butter! Can you say protein overload? It was good and very flavorful. The only problem I had with the sandwich is that it came off really salty. 

The last sandwich that we had was made by Chef Edward. It was a masterpiece. The ingredients the Chef used were rye bread, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded kani sticks seasoned with Japanese mayonnaise, wasabi and pepper, strips of green mangoes, topped with Japanese caviar and sweet&salty crispy dilis. Each bite was like a concert in my mouth. The sandwich was not simply a perfect combination of flavors and textures, it was a harmony. That is all I can say. 

Chris DeChavez

“Fancylog”

            Out of all the sandwiches that I tasted that day this one in particular was the best tasting. It seemed like they really put a lot of thought into making their sandwich something delightful for the others to eat. I like how they merged the flavors of the pesto with the Filipino meats like tocino and longinisa. When I first took a bite of the sandwich, it tasted a lot like peanut butter since they added peanuts to the pesto mixture. However, as I started chewing, I started tasting the other flavors as well. Not only was their sandwich very creative but it also had a uniformed flavor that made it taste great.

“Fili(pino) Cheesesteak”

            Honestly, if I had to do this project all over again I would’ve put more time and effort in making  our sandwich into something even better. I think that my group and I had a good concept at hand but we just didn’t put enough thought into making something more creative and original. Don’t get me wrong, I thought our sandwich tasted great. With our three simple ingredients, the only one that really stood out was the cheese which was imported from Holland. It was a simple sandwich which consisted only of pandesal, longinisa, and imported cheese but I think it had a nice distinct flavor. If we had more ingredients like caramalized onions or even butter to put on the bread, our sandwich would’ve tasted a whole lot better. Also, chef was right when he said to change our sandwich name. We didn’t have one piece of steak in our sandwich at all!

Avocado w/ Bacon sandwich

            This sandwich was a little strange to me when I saw the ingredients written on the board. Honestly, the only ingredient that was appealing to me was the bacon but who doesn’t like bacon right? I just thought the ingredients of the sandwich were not relevent to each other. The mixture of mushed up avocado with a splash of lemon juice, topped off with melted american cheese was not appealing to me at all. Like chef said, they should’ve added more ingredients to contrast the flavor or something that will compliment the avocado.

Coco Jam Sandwich

            Like the avocado with bacon sandwich, there was something about this sandwich that made it different from the others. The taste of the sandwich wasn’t bad or something that I would never ever eat again but the idea of cold sliced roast beef and sweet coconut bread spread is just not an appealing combination. When you think about a roast beef sandwich you think about loads of beef with lettuce tomatoe, onions, and mayonaise. Therefore, the sweetness of the coco jam did not compliment the roast beef at all. Honestly, the sandwich wasn’t that bad but if someone read the ingredients of this sandwhich on a  restauraunt menu they would probably pass.

“The Buff Dude Sandwich”

            If you are meat lover this sandwich is definately for you. It is loaded with three different types of meats which are Spam, bacon, and a burger. It tastes like what you would expect it to taste like, full of flavorful bites of each piece of meat. Each sandwich is topped with ketchup, mustard, and its secret ingredient peanut butter! It may seem like an awkward combination with the peanut butter but chef pointed out that, that combination is quite clever because barbeque sauce is made up of those three ingredients. How can you not like a sandwich packed with meat and a “BBQ” like sauce. The funny part of this sandwich is that the bread was wheat!

Chef’s Sandwich

            If I had to describe Chef Edward’s sandwich in one word it would be, flavorful. As you take a bite out of the sandwich you can automatically taste all the different ingredients that are packed in between the two pieces of rye bread. I love how he kept the theme of the sandwich in one place and didn’t put ingredients that were way out of the picture. I mean the ingredients were all of different influences but they all complimented each other. The Japanese caviar and the sweet/spicy dilis that topped the crab stick with mayo was a perfect combination. However, I think that the green mangos really put a distinct flavor to the whole sandwich. It gave a nice sour flavor but at the same time it was balanced out with the sweet dilis and the flavors of the crab stick. A sandwich like this can definately be a favorite at a restaurant. 

Weren’t you taught not to play with your food? - Mike de Joya

January 17, 2012: one of the craziest Introduction to Journalism sessions was held on this date. On this day, members of the class had to taste seven different sandwiches made by the six different groups in class and by the day’s guest, Chef Edward Bugia of Pino Restaurant. When we learned the previous week that we’d be having a sandwich session, I was excited. I love sandwiches. I see them as filling snacks or meals that you can quickly make and eat on the go. I love the different flavors blending together that cause your mouth to achieve its own version of orgasm. The sandwiches that really get to me are the ones loaded with flavorful meat and runny melted cheese. Throw in some caramelized onions, maybe some greens, and you’ll have me on a leash. There were some sandwiches from the other groups that I didn’t like, however, and some that I found to be quite interesting.

I didn’t quite enjoy the first group’s sandwich because I thought that the flavor of the peanuts was too strong. It tasted like a peanut butter-y meat sandwich. I would have enjoyed it more had the peanuts been eliminated from the list of ingredients.

I actually enjoyed my group’s sandwich because the longganisa had a strong flavor and the melted cheese was just perfect.

The third group’s sandwich was pretty good. It needed a bit more seasoning because the avocado tasted a bit earthy. Maybe some salt and pepper would have made it taste better, but overall, I liked how simple it was.

The fourth group’s sandwich caused my heart to stop. The doughnut bun’s sweetness worked well with the saltiness of the beef patty and bacon. I actually enjoyed it but I don’t see myself having more than one of this sandwich every time I feel the urge to eat.

The fifth group’s sandwich was quite interesting, having used coconut jam instead of the usual ketchup-mayo-mustard relish. It gave the sandwich a distinct taste to counter the meatiness of the two types of ham used, but I would have preferred it if ketchup and mustard were used instead.

The sixth group’s sandwich was a salty mess, haha! Sodium overload! I think a fried egg would make it an ideal morning-perker-upper, if someone finds a way on how to reduce the sodium content of the darn thing.

Chef Edward’s sandwich was pretty delectable. I think it would have been better without the green mangoes, though. What’s interesting is, as my group was brainstorming the other week on what kind of sandwich we should make, I suggested we do a Crabstick Salad sandwich, quite similar to what Chef Edward made. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened had we made a Crabstick Salad sandwich, but I’m also glad we didn’t because then we’d be comparing my group’s sandwich to the Chef’s picture-perfect creation.

It was a great session, and I’m glad everyone enjoyed the wild mix of sandwiches that we had for brunch.

SM: ISSUE MART

SM has been the Philippines’ leader in retail for the past 50 years or so. The company is known for constructing numerous amounts of shopping/department stores that span from Luzon, to Visayas, and even to Mindanao. They have always been considered a powerhouse in the Philippine business world, raking in billions of pesos per year. However, with their non-stop success and overwhelming presence in the market, SM has been the subject of many a controversy.

Most recently to come up is the issue of SM Blue. SM Blue Residences is an upcoming high-rise condominium proposed by the SM Development Corporation (SMDC) located along Katipunan Avenue, corner Aurora Boulevard. Strategically placed in close vicinity of Ateneo de Manila University and Miriam College, two acclaimed educational institutions in the country, the 41 storey building was designed to be the next prime residential condominium for students around the area. This project has gained much scrutiny as it raised abounding concern among surrounding communities in both political and environmental aspects.

In the political aspect, the main concern of the community has been SMDC’s failure to adhere to the proper procedure of development proposal and to comply with the regulations implemented by the City Zoning Ordinance. Proper procedure usually requires at least four months for a proposal to be reviewed. In the case of SM Blue Residences, it was approved in one day under suspended rules. In addition to this, the required consultation with the Loyola Heights failed to follow through. SMDC proceeded with the development without the knowledge and consent of the community. An exemption was granted to the development corporation by the Quezon City Hall permitting them to disregard necessary regulations.

As it is, Katipunan Avenue is already a heavily used road. It is one major thoroughfare being used to link the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) with the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as an arterial road linked to C5. The length of road from the intersection of Aurora Boulevard up until the University of the Philippines area has recently received a major facelift: the addition of at least twenty new places for students to frequent. This stretch of road has enjoyed breathtaking views of sunsets against low-rise buildings for the longest time, and sunrises behind the relaxing greenery of the Ateneo campus.

Across the Ateneo de Manila University campus, high-rise buildings are allowed, thus the few tall condominium buildings situated there. On the side of Katipunan Avenue where the Ateneo is, high-rise buildings are prohibited. It certainly makes one wonder why SMDC was granted a permit to construct such a tall building in a zone that was clearly designated as an area for low-rise residential and small-commercial buildings. Especially when the original zoning plan of Katipunan supposedly only permits a maximum of 21 stories per building which the proposed 41 story plan of SM Blue does not comply with.

Another concern is that the Quezon City Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance also requires one parking slot per dwelling unit ratio to avoid traffic problems. The proposed plan of SM Blue failed to achieve this ratio but was still approved. The project was approved with a ratio of 1:3. Traffic is already a huge problem in the area; with clearly insufficient parking slots for the building’s future tenants, there seems to be one huge problem existing even before the building is far from completed. Remember, SM Blue is located along Katipunan Avenue, corner Aurora Boulevard, two heavy main roads. Even prior to SM Blue’s construction, traffic congestion problems are faced here on a daily basis.

Stemming from SMDC’s failure to comply with the said regulations are the possible environmental impacts that will concern the community’s state and development. Sewage treatment, waste disposal and management of limited resources are estimated to greatly concern the community. With the expectedly large number of people moving into the building upon its completion, how will their garbage be carted off? Related to waste, what about sewage? Katipunan has been known to flood quite a lot recently due to the numerous establishments in the area that have eaten up precious land. Will SMDC’s project guarantee a clear-cut solution to this problem? The questions keep piling up and sadly, the public is not given any answers.

The Loyola Heights Community is greatly concerned by the issues brought about by SM Blue, but even more greatly alarming is the issue on good governance. How could the 17^th Quezon City Council have allowed this? This ordinance was passed over suspended rules, only done for emergency reasons. But what emergency was there? What was so important that due process was bypassed? A sign by the Loyola Heights Community posted along Katipunan now calls for the 18^th QC Council to address the issue.